My Friend Diego - Discussion

When & where?

The discussion will be about the consequences of having been tortured and how it affects a person’s life. The personal story of Luis, the protagonist from My Friend Diego, will be discussed. What was it like for him to return to the place where it happened, confront his torturer and tell his story in front of the camera - a story that he had never told before, not even to his wife and children.

Chilean-Dutch director Pablo Eppelin coordinates the Noticias digital platform, a network for social and cultural organisations in the Netherlands that focus on Latin America. The origins of the network can be traced back in part to the Latin American political refugees who came to the Netherlands in the 1970s and 80s. Pablo Eppelin fled Chile with his parents and describes himself as a ‘second-generation refugee’.

Director Rob Brouwer is Head of the Audiovisual Department at Amnesty International.

Luis Alberto Alarcon was a victim of torture under the Pinochet regime in Chile. He’s been living in the Netherlands for five years. He discovered via a television show that his torturer was going to stand trial in Chile. He wanted to return to testify in court, but could not afford to make the trip, so he asked Amnesty Netherlands if they would be willing to give him the opportunity to go to the trial. Amnesty agreed and made a documentary about his case.